The Wellington High School girls basketball team has a new coach, but not really. Eric Adams, newly hired to lead the Lady-Crusaders, knows his team well, having coached most of them as Lady-Knights through nine years at Wellington Middle School.

Between WMS and WHS was a one year stop as the Head Coach for the South Haven Lady-Cardinals squad that won the South Central Boarder League Tournament, was the regular season league co-champ, and not to mention won Sub-State to earn a trip to the 1A, Div. I State Basketball Tournament.

"I couldn't ask for a better experience...walked into a great situation, there were great seniors, great freshman through junior classes," Adams said. "We had a wonderful year." Now Adams will coach a Wellington team, two years removed from a 4A state tournament appearance, and some of the best seasons in the program's history under former coach Kevin Hackerott, who accepted the Head Coaching position at Goddard after five years at WHS.

"Three or four weeks ago, the job opened up..." Adams recalled. "I was approached about taking the high school job, thought about it for a couple of weeks and decided to put my name in and it all worked out.

It's similar to South Haven, I believe I'm walking into a great situation," the coach continued. While the Lady-Crusaders have soared to new heights in the past few seasons, Adams is looking forward to the chance at taking the program higher.

"I don't look at it as a challenge, I look at it as an opportunity," he said. "These girls know what to expect from me...they know my system. There's not a lot of difference between what myself and Coach Hackerott do." Adams wants his team to pressure the ball, get up and down the floor, play up-tempo and be known as one of the best defensive teams in the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail, Div. IV League.

"I expect to keep the Wellington girls basketball program playing at a high level," he said. "Coach Hackerott did a wonderful job with it, I've coached a lot of these girls in middle school...so I know what's there, what's coming up and there's a lot of talent."

Adams was very grateful for his time at South Haven, and is very excited to be new "new" Head Coach of WHS girls basketball.